Tulane alum leads Southern Rep Theatre in its 27th season

Alumna Aimée Hayes, who considers herself primarily a director, stars as Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire during Southern Rep Theatre’s past season. She will take a lead role in the upcoming season’s The Night of the Iguana. (Photo by Ride Hamilton)

Southern Rep Theatre in New Orleans enters its 27th season as the region’s premier professional theater, continuing to produce world and regional premieres under the leadership of producing artistic director, Aimée Hayes, a Tulane University alumna.

Southern Rep’s new “Mainstage Season” features four productions — a Broadway play, an unforgettable classic, a world-premiere comedy and the last masterwork of a Louisiana legend, says Hayes, who received a master of fine arts in 2006.

“Our 27th season offers such an invigorating mix of stories, and I’m excited to tell the stories of these wild women,” says Hayes.

Hayes says she was especially drawn to the many powerful roles for women this season, from the strength of Dr. Brandt in 33 Variations (Sept. 11–29) to the comic character Penelope Easter in The Totalitarians (Jan. 8 – Feb. 2), to the romantic intelligence of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (Oct. 23–Nov. 24 ) contrasted with the spiritual purity of Hannah and the bawdy sexuality of Maxine in The Night of the Iguana (March 26 – April 20).

“These characters will make for unforgettably entertaining evenings at the theatre!” Hayes exclaims.

Season subscribers save up to 40 percent off regularly priced tickets, getting all four plays for $100 per person. Among other perks, season subscribers enjoy an exclusive ordering period for the Lagniappe Series productions. Subscribe online or call the box office at 504-522-6545.

Hayes is proud of Southern Rep’s ongoing commitment to new play development with the annual New Play Bacchanal, 6x6 Play Slam, PlayLab, the soap opera Debauchery, and The Ruby Prize, a new play award for playwrights who are women of color. Southern Rep also offers educational programs such as YO NOLA (Youth Onstage, New Orleans, La.), free student matinees, $10 student rush tickets and Academy SRT.